Why has this capitulation been so slow?

[ParabellumLite]

"You can shear a sheep many times, but skin it only once."

The best quote.  

.. and best for describing current situation on the market right now :]
but how long will the bear market remain.. til year's end, or even longer

That's a good guess I'd say. There are still way too many people that believe that the current price is sustainable, which means there is more than enough money left to be made for the shorters.

[pereira4]

We aren't still on a capitulation yet, it will take months for trust to build up at this point.

[meanig]

Partly because the China bubble didn't pop all at once. As with many actions of the government of China, pressure to stop doing something was gradually increased over time. Remember all those posts on here that "nothing was changing in China"? Well, it was. It took a while for the bubble to deflate.

Bitcoin has had two major bubbles - Silk Road drugs and China exchange controls. Both are over. The question is, what is Bitcoin worth if it's no good for getting away with illegal transactions?

On your advice I've been waiting since late 2011 for bitcoins that are worth less than nothing. How much longer do I have to wait until people pay me to take their coins 

[cbeast]

We aren't still on a capitulation yet, it will take months for trust to build up at this point.

It's not so much trust, but confidence. Bitcoin needs to become Ironclad. It needs to be completely secure from theft and loss. If you build it, they will come.